Torrington

Torrington, city (1990 pop. 33,687), Litchfield co., NW Conn., on the Naugatuck River inc. 1740. It is the industrial and commercial hub of NW Connecticut and is known for its metal (especially brass) and machinery manufactures. The first machine-made brass goods in the country were produced in Torrington in 1834. The city was also the site of the world's first condensed-milk plant the process of homogenization was invented in Torrington. The abolitionist John Brown was born there his birthplace burned in 1918, and the spot is marked by a plaque. Of interest are a wildlife sanctuary and conservation area, noted for its mountain laurel and a museum with early American glass exhibits and a John Brown room. A branch of the Univ. of Connecticut and the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts are in Torrington.